The Govenor Fayemi led Ekiti State Government is not relenting in efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19 virus within the borders of Ekiti.
The principle of social distancing adopted through the movement restriction and curfew Order, necessitated enforcement by security agents. Violators of the restriction movement order are not having an easy ride as both security agents and the Judiciary organs of government are displaying a high degree of synergy in their set objective of safe keeping the state by enforcing the Order, ultimately to prevent community transmission of the virus.
Monday 20th April 2020 at Court 3 of the Magistrate court Ado-Ekiti ushered in the much publicized “Punch newspaper” distribution vehicle saga, apprehended at Ikere Ekiti, Sunday 19th. Recall the vehicle was apprehended while attempting to smuggle the underlisted out of Ekiti to Lagos under the guise of essential worker status (Press).
The DPP said the defendants violated the provisions of Regulation 2 (1) (b) and punishable under Regulation 12 of the Ekiti State Coronavirus (prevention of infection) Regulations, 2020 made pursuant to section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Cap Q2, LFN, 2004.
1. Sesan Ajayi
2. Owoola Ilesanmi
3. Adeyinka Toyosi
4. Joseph Agboola
5. Alabi Bukola
6. Oluwatoyin Abiodun
7. Mohammed Joshua (Driver)
During the court proceeding, two events proved to be the proceedings’ highlight.
One of the defendant, Mr. Joseph Agboola had absconded while they were being brought to the court and was declared wanted when an arrest warrant was issued on his person. The second highlight occurred as another defendant, Miss Adeyinka Toyosi, a nurse at National Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi, Yaba, Lagos pleaded not guilty while the driver and the remaining defendants pleaded guilty.
The summary of the sentencing included fines and community service for the violators.
The case of the registered nurse after presenting her case to the Chief Magistrate (Mr Abdulhamid Lawal) earned her a chastisement from the magistrate. His worship said “I accept when the first defendant stated that as a special health care worker of National Orthopedic Hospital Yaba Lagos, that you were under pressure to go back to work having been stranded due to the lock down order. The report available to Court however was that you were reckless by trying to get back to work through a means which constituted serious risk to yourself and other’s health under the Corona Virus pandemic. I therefore find you guilty of breaching the restricted movement Order.
All the convicted violators with community service sentence are to commence work next day, all fines were paid at end of Court proceeding.